Why Compassion?

Cultivating compassion begins with being compassionate towards yourself. Learning how to practice self-compassion will allow you to:

Be less judgmental and critical of yourself

Develop more effective ways of coping with pain

Use your strengths and past successes to motivate yourself

Be more accepting of your flaws, mistakes, and perceived weaknesses

Have more compassion towards others

Once we learn how to practice self-compassion, we automatically become more compassionate towards others. This allows us to:

Be more vulnerable in relationships

Provide more positive feedback to others

Experience deeper levels of connectedness

Navigate conflicts more skillfully

Be more accepting in the face of difficult situations

Because it is our natural tendency to be hard on ourselves and to motivate ourselves with judgment, shame, and fear, it takes time to cultivate self-compassion—just like it takes time to develop a healthier lifestyle. However, you may begin to notice small changes in your attitude toward yourself right away.